Just A Little Longer
by Lina Trinch
Summary: Sometimes, it seems like people will hold on just long enough until everyone has had their chance to say good-bye. Oneshot. Holix.


**Oh man. I don't know why I'm so angsty lately. BUT I dreamed this the other night and it made me cry, so it has to be good, right? I seen a lot of fics rolling around that kept looking like they were going to go this direction, so I decided to get it out of my head before someone else did it for me.**

**... Ok... Here we go...**

**o0o**

It had been a little over a month and things still hadn't looked up. Actually, he had only gotten worse.

Long story short, a mission went bad. The Evo was cured, but another, stronger one, had quickly sprung up and it was far too late.

Rex had a few cracked ribs from being shoved to the concrete and out of harm's way, but Six... He still hadn't woke up, yet.

But it was Six. _Six_. Nothing could beat him and he sure as hell wasn't going to be taken out by some random Evo.

Or that's what she thought back then. Everytime he became stable, something else would crash and burn. He had even flat lined.

After the second time his heart stopped and Holiday managed to bring him back, Knight gave out an order she wasn't ready to hear. Not even White himself liked it, but it had to be done. He couldn't see his old friend go through all this without any hope of recovery. "If it happens again, just let him go."

That didn't bode well and when he flat lined for the third time, she had barely managed to get him back again.

They tried to lock her up and get her away from him, but that didn't roll over well with Rex, who took out over thirty troops before White called them off and just left them alone.

The White Knight had sent out a final prayer for his friend and Captain Callan stopped by his bed to say his good-byes.

No, it wasn't looking well, at all.

Rex especially didn't like it. People were acting like Six wasn't going to hold on. It was driving him nuts and making him a little nausious. After a few weeks slipped by though, his hope was getting weak.

Holiday could see it. In everything Rex did, even smiling, she knew what he was thinking.

And it sickened her. She was not about to let Six die, because of some damn Evo... but there were only so many times you can let someone come back from the brink without permantly setting in some damage. In fact, she was sure that if it happened again, she wouldn't be able to save him. The third time was a miracle in itself, she couldn't imagine a fourth.

Things had been looking even worse during the past few days and it amazed her that he was actually still holding on.

She thought this with a slight hatred for herself, looking over her coffee. Letting out a sigh, Holiday picked up the cup, about to head back into her lab. She hadn't left his side for more than an hour since he had gotten hurt and, as a result, she was exhausted. Well, for more than an hour, not counting that time Rex slipped her some sleeping pills.

The door quietly swished open to the dark lab, the familiar and, thankfully, steady _beep-beep_ coming from the machine connected to Six. Upon looking up, however, she noticed that Rex was standing over him.

Holiday stopped walking, remaining quiet. Rex hadn't noticed she was there, so she didn't bring any attention to herself.

But the kid wasn't saying anything. Just standing there, looking very seriously down at Six.

She slowly closed her eyes. She knew what was happening. She just didn't want to acknowledge it.

The boy's voice, quiet and strong, drifted over to her. "Thanks, Six," he said, voice barely over a whisper, "I won't let you down." It took him a few more seconds, but eventually he turned and walked out of the lab through the closest door, not even noticing her presence.

If Rex had said good-bye, then it was obviously not a good thing.

"Oh, Six," she breathed out, mostly to herself. What was she supposed to do with him, anyway?

Narrowing her eyes, she quickly stalked over to his side, putting her coffee down on the desk as she passed it. "Do you realize," she hissed, giving him a stern look as if he could see her, "that if you die now, Rex will _never _forgive himself. He thinks this is _his_ fault. You can't just... leave us and... ugh."

She pinched the bridge of her nose. With a sigh, she looked back up to him, expression much more gentle than it was a second ago.

She had taken most of the tubes and machines off of him, trying to keep him comfortable. Looking around, she noticed that the only things hooked to him now was the heart monitor and saline drip.

The medical and professional side seemed to realize it before she, herself, could.

His shirt was gone, revealing all of the bandages wrapped around his waist, which covered a horrible amount of stitches. His katanas were laying on her desk, within his sight if he were to look, and his shades and tanto stayed on a shelf next to him. She knew if he woke up, the first thing he'd want is his shades and the second would be a weapon.

His face remained just as neutral as ever, as if she could expect anything else.

If she didn't do it now, she'd regret it.

Slowly, she reached out her hand to barely touch his arm, her thumb lightly making circles on his rough skin. "Six?," she quietly asked, "_Can_ you hear me?"

There was, obviously, no reaction, but she had to believe that he could. "I haven't let anyone in here," she whispered to him, "Except for a few, like Rex, of course. You know this place. After one incident with a nail gun, they're all scared of getting a staple through their eye if someone were to come in here."

Her eyes fluttered closed, then opened to land on his arm she was holding. "I don't know how this place is going to function without you. I can't really imagine the world being able to_ stand _without you. I mean," she looked back up to him, "You found Rex and you're the one who saved him. You're the one who changed the world. We only helped, really."

For some reason, she expected a reply, and when she didn't get one, she glanced away again. "I don't even know how Rex will be without you around. It'll be different... that's for sure..."

"But, Six," again, she looked back up to him with a sigh, "Dammit, Six. Why are you doing this? Do you realize how much you manage to tick me off? It's always something with you. Can't sleep, gotta go kill the Evo. Can't admit how I feel, gotta rep to keep up. Can't do this. Won't do that. Chicken, chicken, chicken."

She narrowed her eyes. "And sneaky as hell. You should at least be concious when I'm chewing you out!... All part of your grand plan, isn't it?"

Her shoulders drooped, suddenly a deep shame overbearing her. "This was never part of the plan, was it? None of this. You didn't expect to be in this situation..." She let out a slight smile, "But I bet you didn't expect to have people who care about you with you, either. Did you?"

Slowly, cautiously, as if he would snap at her, her other hand moved over to the side of his face. "Six," she whispered, a little lower than before, "I wasn't done with you, yet. I still haven't gotten it out of you. But... I guess it... It wouldn't happen now, would it? You care about people that have your back. People that you know you can count on."

The hand on his arm found his open hand as she squeezed it. She could feel the tears coming out now. "Six," she whispered again, voice cracking a little bit, "I'm sorry. I-I'm supposed to be the best, but I couldn't help you. I only could give you... more time. I couldn't save you." Her hand squeezed and she closed her eyes. "I failed you, Six. I'm sorry. I know it doesn't count for anything, but I'm sorry."

All those weeks of staying professional, staying in control, was finally catching up to her. Her shoulders hunched, as she let out a quiet sob, crying now. For a few minutes, she stayed like that, clenching his hand and crying like a child. Eventually, when she could manage to speak again, she looked through the blurry tears, back at him.

"You must hate this," she said, wiping her eyes with her sleeve, "Crazy, emotional woman clinging to you and crying out her eyes. I'm sorry." She had managed to wipe away the tears on her face, but more still kept coming, no matter what she did to hold them back.

Holiday took in a shaky breath, before getting serious again, giving up on the new tears flowing out. Her hand wiped against his forehead. "I love you, Six," she whispered, before bending down and placing a kiss where her hand had just been. She didn't pull back up, but just touched her own forehead against his. "I'm going to miss you," she whispered to him, "A lot. You're the only voice of sanity left in the world. But I will see you again. I know it. I know."

Hot tears swelled in her eyes again, as she tried not to choke on another sob. "God, Six. I miss you. I miss you." She openly let out a sob, finally breaking down and cringing against him. Through her tears, she choked out, "You'll be ok. I know you will. You'll be alright."

The beeps on the monitor got further and further apart.

She clenched his hand tighter and placed another kiss on his cheek. "I love you, Six," she said again, "I'll see you again, but I'm going to miss you... _so much_."

Another two seconds later and a piercing _'eeeeeeeeeee'_ enveloped the room.

She stayed motionless for a few seconds, until her hand shot out to the monitor, slamming it off and knocking it over.

Then, other than her quiet sobs, it was silent.

Very silent.

**o0o**

_**Please, don't lynch me**_**.**

**Actually, you know what. Flame me. FLAME THE HELL OUT OF ME. Cause I am crying like there's no tomorrow over here and I just hate myself in every direction.**

**I'm gonna really hate proofreading this...**

**I was right. I hated it.**

**BUT, the new chap for **_**Switch Out**_** should be up soon.**

**Ok... if you're still with me here...**

**Read and Review**


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